maybe this time
by LM Ryder the Batty Bat
Summary: while listening to his wife Linda singing Maybe This Time (from Cabaret) at the WWE's annual karaoke showcase, Vince reflects on how lucky he is. ON PROBATION


Title: Maybe This Time

Author: LM Ryder the Batty Bat

Rating: M

Fandom: WWE

Characters: HBK. HHH, McMahons, Lilian Garcia et al

Disclaimer: THE AUTHOR IS NOTHING BUT AN AMATEUR. SHE OWNS NOTHING OTHER THAN THE PLOT, ALL COPYRIGHTS ARE RESERVED.

Pairing: Shawn/Hunter/Steph, Vince/Linda, Shane/Lilian etc.

Author note:

I am posting this story but like Livin on a Prayer and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves: A Diamond in the Rough, it is ON PROBATION. I am not happy that all my Harry Potter stories get loads and loads of readers yet my WWE and Robin Hood prince of thieves ones do not. I am tempted to put ALL of my stories ON PROBATION and in fact, if the situation does not improve I will.

WARNING: CONTAINS ADULT SITUATIONS AND IMPLIED THREESOME ACTIVITY

SKEWED TIMELINE.

I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT MEDICINE. I AM A FREAK

THIS WILL BE A ONE SHOT

Story 8 Maybe this time

Vince's point of view

**_ "Maybe this time, I'll be lucky maybe this time, he'll stay maybe this time  
for the first time Love won't hurry away" _**

I am looking up into the face of my beautiful wife Linda, while she is singing in the annual WWE Karaoke Fest at Titan Tower to raise money for charity. I know why she chose this song, because it is from one of our favourite films... Cabaret. Sitting to my right is our daughter Stephanie, facing her is Hunter, (also known as Paul or Triple H) and next to him is Shawn. Shane and Lilian are sitting next to Stephanie. Lilian is sitting on Shane's lap. Stephanie, Lilian and Linda all have tears running down their faces. In front of us, like ducks in a row were the eight McMahon grandkids. Cameron, Declan, Cheyenne, Aurora-Rose, Kennedy, Murphy, Brandon and Vaughn. The three oldest kids were also in tears. I felt a little teary-eyed myself.

When Linda came off stage, her lower lip was trembling. She was fighting with every ounce of self-control she had not to completely lose it in front of a full audience.  
I pulled her onto my lap. She put her head on my shoulder and she did lose it. I could do nothing but hold her. I knew why she was upset.

We had had a very difficult and scary year, and our troubles started in February.

Linda and I have been together for 43 years and married for 40. We had been married 3 years and 5 months when our son was born and 10 years one month and eighteen days when our daughter was born.

I can read Linda's emotions like a book. She can read mine the same way.

I know what she is going to say before the words come out of her mouth and vice versa and it is the same with Shane and Steph.

"Honey, I know it's been a difficult year but I'm going to be ok now... the doctor said so"  
"I know, I'm grateful for that..."  
"Believe me I am too sugar"

"I feel like I have hardly stopped crying all year long"  
"same here... right that does it. Tomorrow, I am taking a half day from work and we are all flying to Boca Raton to the apartment there. We need a good rest; I'll just have to close down operations for a few weeks."

"Thanks Vince."

"Don't thank me honey, you know I am right"  
"I know"

Linda put her head on my shoulder. I could see how completely exhausted she was. I felt much the same. I knew we had been lucky. As Linda burrowed her nose into my shoulder, I reflected on what we had been through and why she was so emotional

_FLASHBACK_

_February 9__th__ 2006, Greenwich CT _

_Early Morning_

_The phone started ringing loudly, drawing me out of my exhausted reverie. I was lying on the couch with the New York Times in front of me but I was so completely worn out that I could not focus on it. When I heard the phone, I heaved myself onto my feet and dragged my 245 lb frame into the hall to answer it. _

_"McMahon Residence, This is Vince speaking." I said _

_"Mr. McMahon, this is Doctor Foley, at the health centre. I have your test results. Are you and your wife available to discuss them this morning?"  
"We can be, if it's urgent"  
"it is urgent."  
"All right we can be there by 10:15am"  
"that's fine."_

_When Linda came downstairs, she said _

_"Vince you should be on your way to the office by now."  
"Sweetheart, that was the doctor, you know I was waiting for her to call this morning about my results remember?"  
"Oh... yeah"  
"we've to go in at 10:15am this morning for my results."_

_The colour dropped out of Linda's face and she said _

_"Oh Vince... I hope it's not serious"  
"so do I sweetheart, so do I."_

_I went upstairs for my shower. While I was under the steaming hot water, I thought about what the possibilities could be and then I tried to shake the negative energy out of my system I knew that I had to hold it together for Linda's sake, I knew that if it was serious or very bad news, she would be completely devastated. I got out of the shower and got a towel to dry myself, and got dressed. When I got back downstairs, I found Linda sitting on the couch with the family photograph album on her lap. To my horror, I saw tears running down her face._

_"Linda. Are you ok sweet pea?"  
"I..." she choked_

_I sat beside her and slid my arms around her..._

_"Shhhh, don't cry honey... not yet at least. Wait till we have my results"_

_"You're right Vin" she said wiping her eyes. "I guess I'm just worried."_

_We went out for breakfast; Linda drove, because I was just too tired. Normally I hate going to the doctor but I knew something was not right because I was never like this... tired and sluggish all the time so I decided to go to the doctor. _

_When we got to the doctor's office, I went to check myself in but Dr. Foley came out as soon as he heard me arrive. _

_"Hello there" he said. "Come into my office and we can talk."_

_Linda and I went into the office. She was nervously holding my hand in hers. I could feel the sweat on the surface. Dr. Foley closed the door and told us to sit down._

_"Mr. McMahon, I realise you're extremely busy which is why I called you in today."  
"What's going on with me doctor?"  
"I am not going to sugar coat this because I know how much you hate being fawned over. Mr. McMahon, I am afraid you have colon cancer. It is an early stage 2 so it is operable and you probably will not need radiotherapy or chemo but we will have to remove part of your colon and replace it with a colostomy bag and you will need to change your diet... no more gluten. I want to get you in and operated on as soon as is humanly possible to maximise our chances of success."  
"Well, that explains why I am so exhausted all the time. I would like Dr. Andrews and Dr. Youngblood to help with the surgery" was all I said. "I am going to take a leave of absence from work." _

_"That's fine; I think a break from work would do you the power of good."_

_Linda's face had lost its entire colour. _

_"Linda, look at me..."  
"I..." was all she said and as she tried to stand up to leave the room, she fainted._

_I caught her before she smashed her head on Dr. Foley's desk._

_"Put her on the bed," he said_

_He fetched the smelling salts and wafted them under Linda's nose. Her eyes fluttered open._

_"Don't try to sit up yet. Stay there" he warned. He pulled a chair over and sat it beside Linda. I sat down on it. Dr. Foley bustled about, examining Linda, listening to her chest, checking her blood pressure and her temperature. I held her hand tightly in one of mine. The other hand I carded through her hair. _

_"Do you still feel dizzy?"  
"Yes, a little"_

_"Sit up slowly"  
"let me help you" I said and I leaned in to help her up._

_"Your blood pressure is low. I need to check your blood sugar" said Dr. Foley  
"we had breakfast an hour and a half ago" Linda protested  
"well, I'm still going to check it, fainting can be caused by either low blood pressure or low blood sugar."_

_"Ok"_

_I helped Linda down from the bed and pulled her gently onto my lap as Dr. Foley checked her blood sugar._

_"It's normal... you probably fainted from low blood pressure."_

_"Yes probably and that was probably caused by stress"_

_"Exactly"_

_When we got out to the car, Linda still seemed upset so I went to talk to her._

_"Linda! Listen to me... I know you are worried. I know that is why you fainted. Let me tell you something... I am Vincent Kennedy McMahon goddammit! I am one tough son of a bitch and I took on the federal government and won, I took on WCW and won, I took on Hulk Hogan and won and dammit, I sure as hell am not going to let this thing beat me! I am going to fight it with everything I have."_

_She just nodded and continued to drive._

_We went home. I called the office and told my secretary I would not be in and I asked her to have people call me at home if necessary. Linda stayed home as well. We had a nice hot shower together and climbed wearily into bed. I switched the TV on and watched some of the sports report on CNN. I soon became very drowsy and fell asleep; much as I hate to sleep, I knew I needed to sleep, so I reluctantly gave into it. When I was a fifteen, I lived with my father and I had the mumps and, I was so weak and exhausted that I could hardly move for two weeks. Linda lived with us at that time because her parents had both died. She nursed me through the mumps. I hoped she would nurse me through colon cancer. _

_Linda's point of view _

_I heard the unmistakable rumbling purr of snoring and turned my head to find Vince fast asleep beside me. I glanced at my watch and got out of bed. I got dressed and left Vince a note. It was time for me to go and collect the grandchildren from school. when we got home, Vince was still sleeping so I told Declan, Cameron, Cheyenne, and Aurora-Rose to do their homework quietly and when they asked why, I told them half of the truth, Vince was just exhausted. Declan guessed there was more to it than I let on. _

_"Gamma," he said quietly when we were alone, the others had gone out to the back garden to play "I don't think you told us everything"  
"I didn't Dec, I'll tell you why later. Go and play with the others"  
"I really don't want to go outside and leave you all alone, you look like you could use some company"_

_"You know something Dec?" I said "you remind me of your father when he was your age. He has dyslexia like your brother and your grandfather but, he's intelligent in his own way"  
"you mean he can read between the lines?"  
"Yes"_

_"Gamma, you look sad, tell me what's wrong I promise I can keep it a secret"  
"all right... Declan I'm going to tell you something very grown up and troubling..."_

_"Gamma, you don't have to tell me directly I'll ask questions and you can answer them but you don't have to sugar coat the answers for me. I'm old enough and mature enough to understand."  
"I know you are my special little guy"_

_"Pop is ill isn't he?"  
"Yes..."  
"It's serious isn't it?"  
"Yes"  
"is he going to be ok?"  
"He will be fine... he has to have surgery first thing on Tuesday morning but he is going to be fine. I don't want you to worry." _

_"I'm not that worried... not yet. He's tough"_

_I suddenly remembered when Shane was 12 years old and Vince's father was dying of cancer... we had decided not to tell Steph, she wasn't even 5 years old yet and though she was exceptionally bright, she wasn't very emotionally mature. We had skipped her ahead a grade and she was doing very well. In fact, she was doing so well that there was talk of skipping her again. I had told Shane everything but I had sworn him to secrecy. It was not until Vince Senior died that I told Steph the truth. She was really upset and worried when her father slipped into a very deep depression and would not even look at her. _

_"Dec, can you go and check on Pop, I need to talk to your father and your aunt Steph"_

_"Of course Gamma" before he went upstairs to check on Vince, he came and gave me a hug._

_When Declan went upstairs I called Shane, his secretary said he was in a meeting and she would ask him to call me back  
"can you please just send him home the minute he gets out of the meeting? Tell him it is urgent, and tell him to bring his sister, and Lilian, Shawn and Hunter as well. It's really important that I talk to them... as soon as possible"_

_Vince's point of view _

_I half woke up and found myself face to face with my oldest grandson. He was sitting on the bed watching The New York Yankees._

_"Hi Declan"  
"Hi Pop, how are you feeling? Gamma told me everything. I am the only one who knows so far. Well she didn't actually tell me I figured it out on my own."  
"Like Shane when my father was ill" I replied a little wistfully _

_"Gamma told me about that"_

_"I think she's still adjusting."  
"You're right, she is, she said she'd call Dad and tell him and the others to come home." _

_"Good."  
"Are you scared?"  
"A bit. Surgery is surgery. It's always scary but I'll be honest with you Declan, I think it's much scarier for your grandmother than it is for me and if truth be told I'm more worried about her and your aunt Steph than I am about me."  
"Don't worry Pop, Dad and I will take care of Gamma and Aunt Steph while you're in surgery on Tuesday"  
"you will go to school young man"  
"heck no, no way sir! Family comes first remember?"  
"all right all right but we don't tell the others that I am having a major op, let's just tell them that it's only a minor surgery and not make a big fuss."  
"Ok... we should probably tell Cam and Chey the whole truth and the others a bit of the truth; they will not be allowed to visit you in the hospital anyway because they are not over 9 years old. Cam, Chey and I will visit you though."_

_"Good idea thanks I appreciate it."_

_Shane's point of view _

_When I got out of the meeting, my secretary said _

_"Shane your mother called, she wants you and your sister and the others to go straight home, immediately."_

_"Why?"  
"She said it was urgent. She didn't say why you needed to go she just said I was to send you straight home immediately."  
I called Steph, Lilian, Hunter and Shawn. _

_"Beth said Mom wants us to go home immediately."  
"Why?"  
"She said mom didn't say just to tell us to come straight home"  
"ok, we'll meet you in the car park"  
"ok"_

_I grabbed my briefcase, told Beth to hold all of our calls, and ran to the elevator._

_When we got to the car park, we got into the car and put on our belts. Shawn drove. _

_Linda's point of view _

_I had the children set the table, they put on a nice tablecloth and we used the good cutlery. When I went to check on Declan, I found him and Vince both sound asleep, The New York Yankees game still on TV. _

_"Vince..."  
"Linda"  
"you're awake"  
"yes, I was just about to get up actually"  
"Vin, I need to tell the kids tonight."  
"All right... I will keep an eye on the little ones. I'm going for a quick shower"_

_"Ok"_

_Vince slid out of bed and hugged me. He went to the en suite to have a shower and I woke Declan and took him downstairs. _

_I heard the unmistakable rumble of car tyres on gravel... I knew the kids were home. _

_Declan said "Gamma. I can sit with you while you break the news if you like"  
"good idea."_

_Shane, Hunter, Shawn, Lilian, and Steph came in._

_"Mom what's going on...? Beth told us to come straight home."  
"Go into the living room. Declan and I will be in shortly."_

_I heard footsteps on the stairs. Vince was out of the shower, he was wearing a jogging suit. He went out to the back garden and rounded up the grandchildren. _

_"Vin, Declan and I are going to tell the others about..."  
"All right, I'll handle telling the others kids" he said and he went out into the back garden "come on guys, let's go to Dominos and get pizza"_

_They left. Vince would keep them busy while Declan and I told the other grownups. _

_"Are you coming with us Declan?" Vince asked through the window  
"no thanks Pop, I made a promise and I intend to keep it."  
"Ok, we'll bring you back a personal pizza"_

_"Thanks pop"_

_Declan put the kettle on, got cups and a coffee pot. He made coffee, brought it through and put it on the table. He got some of the cookies we had baked the day before and put them onto a plate. _

_"Mom what the hell is going on? Why is Declan still here? You called us out of work for what reason exactly"  
"I have something to tell you."_

_Declan sat down beside me._

_Shawn and Hunter looked nervously at each other and Shawn said "why don't we go and check in with the little kids?"_

_"Good thinking" said Lilian_

_The three of them left. _

_"Mom what is it what's going on?"  
"Your father has colon cancer"_

_Stephanie spat her coffee out over the table_

_"WHAT?"  
"It's true..."  
"And Declan is here because"  
"I VOLUNTEERED TO HELP GAMMA TELL YOU!" Declan yelled and then he stormed out of the room and upstairs to the playroom._

_"Shane you idiot!" said Steph angrily "now look what you did" _

_She went to find Declan._

_"Why the hell did you tell him?"  
"I didn't Shane; he figured it out, kind of like you did when you were his age"_

_"When I was his age?"  
"Yeah... don't you remember... your grandfather got sick and we didn't tell Steph because she was... wasn't even six years old at the time... we didn't tell her till..."  
"Oh yeah now I remember."_

_Stephanie's point of view _

_"Declan..."  
"I want to go live with Marissa... my mother. Dad isn't doing a good job with me I mean it Aunt Stephanie"_

_"Declan... she's a horrible woman, she left when you were 3 and Kennedy was a baby."  
"I know but nothing I say to dad ever matters. I am still just a kid to him and I more than likely always will be and yet, Kennedy is the one who has dyslexia! Ironic isn't it? From what I remember of my mother, she at least cared about me." _

_"A little bit"_

_I heard footsteps on the stairs._

_"Declan, come and talk to me"  
"why don't I do to you what you did to Pop when you were fifteen?"  
Shane looked confused_

_"What did I do when I was 15?"  
"You punched dad in the face, hard because he cheated on mom and she figured it out, remember?"  
"Yeah now I remember, didn't I give him a bloody nose, a bloody lip and a black eye?"_

_"Yeah"_

_"FUNNY HOW YOU REMEMBER IT WHEN AUNT STEPHANIE TELLS YOU BUT WHEN I TELL YOU, ALL YOU DO IS LOOK CONFUSED! YOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU SHANE BRANDON... OH YEAH I KNOW YOUR MIDDLE NAME... POP TOLD ME. WHEN HE AND GAMMA HAD CUSTODY OF KENNEDY AND I WHEN YOU WERE IN REHAB... HE TOLD ME ALL ABOUT YOU... "_

_"Declan... you know I have dyslexia, my memory sucks, both short term and long term"  
"Aunt Steph... I have an idea."  
"Yes Declan?"  
"Go downstairs dad. Go sit with your mother or something. I need to talk to my godmother."_

_"All right Declan" _

_Shane went downstairs. _

_"I suggest we make up a pop quiz and see how much dad really remembers"  
"All right Declan but we'll need to do it like a quiz show because of the dyslexia"_

_"Good idea"_

_For the next two hours, Declan and I made up a pop quiz for Shane._

_Dad and the others came back._

_"All right... I have a pop quiz about our family..." said Declan, he glared at Shane.  
"Do you want me to read out the questions?" said Shawn_

_"Yeah." _

_ "This is a good idea" said dad._

_"All right... we're going to draw numbers... lowest number goes first."  
"Good thinking Declan."_

_Dad drew 1 mom drew 3 I drew 6 and Shane drew 8_

_"All right dad you're first"_

_"Question 1. Who or what was Star?" _

_I started to laugh and so did mom, Shane looked confused_

_"Star was our Labrador, she was a menace of a dog but she was a sweetheart at the same time."_

_"Question 2. What happened on the 4__th__ of July weekend in 1989?"  
Dad thought for a moment and then he said_

_"Shane punched me because Linda and I had a fight and she left... Shane you would have been 19 years old at the time and you were living in..."_

_"Don't go there dad" Shane snarled "I don't want to think about that woman"_

_WHAM_

_Declan punched Shane on the nose with every ounce of strength he could muster_

_"THAT WOMAN IS MY MOTHER WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!" he roared_

_"NEXT TIME IT WILL BE SWEET CHIN MUSIC AND MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT I WILL KNOCK YOU OUT!"_

_"Question 3... What happened thanksgiving weekend of 1991?"  
"I broke my ankle after tripping over the cat on the stairs"_

_"Question 4... What happened June 7__th__ 1986"_

_"Shane punched me because I cheated on Linda and she figured it out... I deserved it too"  
"Question 5..."  
"ENOUGH... NO MORE QUIZ" Shane yelled and he tore the question list from Shawn's hands and ripped it into tiny little bits... Declan's face crumpled and he ran. Shawn followed him. _

_When Shane grabbed the quiz and tore it up, dad got to his feet and so did Shane..._

_"THAT TEARS IT! HUNTER YOU NEED TO MOVE THE COFFEE TABLE... RIGHT NOW"_

_"Vince... I have a better idea"_

_Shane went out to the garage and got the ring. He and Hunter set it up in the back garden and we put the floodlights on. Shawn put on the ref's stripes, Lilian announced the match and Hunter, and I did the commentary while mom and the little kids watched from the porch swing._

_After the match, (Dad won) Declan did a run in as Shane got groggily to his feet.  
"I'm gonna kick your ass Shane Brandon McMahon!" _

_"Not if I kick yours first Declan James..."_

_"Wimp"  
"child"_

_"Hey I have a fantastic idea... Pop will you referee the match...?"  
"Of course"_

_Shane and Declan glared at each other and then Shawn and Cameron got into the ring and they glared at each other while trying to keep a straight face. Shawn and Declan went to one side of the ring and Shane and Cameron went to the other. Hunter could see how tired dad was so he got in the ring and put on the ref's stripes and Dad came and did commentary with me. Shawn and Declan won._

_After the match, mom went inside, she had gone ghostly white when she saw dad struggling, and it was almost like her whole life flashed before her eyes. She went straight upstairs and locked herself in the en suite in the master bedroom. _

_Vince's point of view _

_I ran upstairs after Linda. _

_"Linda, open the door sweet pea,"_

_I could hear her wailing,_

_"Honey please open the door. We need to talk about this"  
I heard the lock slip back and Linda opened the door, she looked at me through bright red puffy eyes and then she turned and tried to run but I grabbed her._

_"Oh no you don't you're going to tell me what is going on in that pretty little head of yours. Come here... now!"_

_"LET ME GO!"  
"No Linda not until you tell me what has you so upset"  
"DO YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT I DID ON THE NIGHT SHANE WAS BORN? BECAUSE I WILL"_

_"Linda you need to tell me. You get angry with me when I keep things from you"  
"I am not talking about how I feel. I am sleeping in the spare room tonight... I might as well get used to sleeping alone because..."  
"Sweetheart... I'm not going to die for a very long time. I'm only going to have surgery I don't need chemo."  
"You're getting a colostomy bag fitted though Vince and if you get an infection..."  
"Sweet pea, listen. I'm going to be fine"  
"I'm still sleeping in the spare room."_

_"Come on Linda..."_

_Three days later, I went into hospital to have surgery. _

_My recovery was brutal. I was in hospital for eleven days and I wasn't allowed to sit up for five of those days. When I got home, I couldn't go up or downstairs for another two weeks and I wasn't allowed to work out for another five weeks. I rather knew how Marissa, Shane's ex felt when she had her caesarean section. Shane had to do everything for her after Kennedy was born. Linda was exhausted from running around after me. Stephanie insisted on taking a week off work to help Linda take care of me and so did Shane. Lilian, Natalya and Amy took care of the kids, teaching their school lessons and making sure, they practised their music and dancing. _

All of that flashed through my mind as Linda sang. When she came offstage, she curled up on my lap and enjoyed the rest of the karaoke showcase from there. my hall of fame bound best friend was sitting next to Linda and I. i caught his eye and we shared the kind of smile that only two best friends can share. it's different to the kind of smile that couples and parents sometimes share.

IF YOU LIKE THIS STORY PLEASE REVIEW IT.


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